Tolls Better Than Taxes

This blog is not about my usual topic.

Instead I am choosing to vent some frustration at Gov. Malloy and the crazy choices he is making all in an effort to bring in more money.  My beef with him is this marajuana bill and his choice to pass this in lieu of other options.

Sorry, I don't personally buy the medical marajuana story - once it's legal we'll be like California and have little boutique growers all around us sellling our kids every flavor and type.  It's really an excuse for a tax and a huge blunder that will cost young people's lives, as well as others as now the flood gates open for DUI's on a now legally available drug.

The better choice would have been to bring back the toll booths.  Toll Booths on I95 would bring in tens of millions of dollars as people drive thru our state to visit attractions as well as on their journey elsewhere.  When I drive in other states, particularly NY and FLA I am continually hit for tolls up to $3.00 each over very short distances.

I am aware of and sensitive to the horrific accident that brought the end to the toll in CT.  That was...what, over 20 years ago?  Things have changed, technology now offers us ways to monitor traffic patterns and predict problems.  We also now have more capability to alert drivers of the upcoming toll and avoid accidents. Enuf said....bring back the tolls.

This latest ludicrist decision, backed by our even crazier legislators, just shows lack of common sense of these elected officials.  What exactly is in the water in Hartford...or are they just all plain nuts?  In mid 2011 my local company received a notice the state had suddenly decided to issue an extra tax to businesses to help the unemployment fund.  It was both a surprise and a big hit being thousands of dollars. 

After that they decided to pass what they call a "Sick Bill".....which has the right name because the Bill itself is sick.  After several legislators carved out their pet industries it left only service industries on the hook to mandatory costs of an extra full week's pay every year, which can only be offset by increases in costs to consumers.  In other words, before an employee is even through their probationary period they are accruing paid time off which they do not have to be sick to use and it can roll over to the following year.  That's really vacation time, let's call it what it is and be authentic here - what state mandates paid vacations?

The bill is a huge burden to businesses, financially and accounting-wise as well as just crazy.  Why would you provide a mandated paid benefit to someone who has not at least gone thru their probation period?  Watching that legislation and it's process closely I can tell you it was meant as a legacy for Edith Prague, she knew she was going to retire and this Bill was her baby.  It never should have been signed in the format it is in.  However this Bill gives Gov. Malloy another full week of payroll to tax each year on every employee in the state....that and his payback to Unions is rationale for him signing this.  As a business owner I will tell you it does not make sense in it's current form and will only cost jobs in the end.

Personally I cannot wait for the next election for Governor, and unless Mickey Mouse is running I will cast my protest vote for the non-Malloy candidate.  Oh yes, wait, even Mickey Mouse has produced a hugely profitable business - maybe Mickey could come to Connecticut and take up State politics. 

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